Tom Hardy is riveting in “The Take” miniseries
At front center, Tom Hardy, back row, from left, Kierston Wareing, Brian Cox, Shaun Evans and Charlotte Riley of "The Take" - Photo Provided by Encore
The 2009 U.K. miniseries “The Take,” starring Tom Hardy, will be making its Encore debut at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, with consecutive episodes airing each Friday at that time through Dec. 23.
Set in the streets of London’s East End, “The Take” centers on Freddie Jackson (Hardy,”Inception,” “The Dark Knight Rises ,”) and his cousin Jimmy (Shaun Evans, “Boy A”), their families, and the criminal underworld they inhabit during a 10-year span.
As the miniseries begins, Freddie has just been released from prison, and with imprisoned godfather of crime Ozzy (Brian Cox, “The Bourne Supremacy,” “Braveheart”) behind him, he returns to his crooked ways.
Although his wife Jackie (Kierston Wareing, “Leaving, “It’s a Free World”) is devoted to him, Freddy is not so exclusive with his affections.
Freddie is loyal to his younger cousin Jimmy, who at first rides Freddie’s coattails and works on smoothing over situations where Freddie has lost control and become excessively violent.
But Jimmy manages to come into his own in making a name for himself in this corrupt arena.
Jimmy’s wife Maggie (Charlotte Riley, “Easy Virtue”), is also dedicated to her husband, but theirs is a much more stable, mutual relationship than that of Jackie and Freddie’s.
Freddie harbors jealousy and resentment against Jimmy, which manifests itself in an extremely brutal way, while Jackie becomes unhinged due to Freddie’s lack of fidelity and failure to reach the success Jimmy has.
Ultimately, Jimmy is forced to choose between his loyalty to Freddie or protecting the life he has with Maggie – but will Freddie’s own past choices be his downfall first?
“The Take,” which is based on the crime thriller written by Martina Cole, is engrossing, and Hardy completely immerses himself in his performance as Freddie.
Despite this character’s savageness, you can’t take your eyes off of him.
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